The following letter was released by R’ Tzvi Gross, a delegate for Eretz HaKodesh: 26 Adar 5785 March 26, 2025 An Open Letter to all Torah Observant Jews, My name is Tzvi Gross and I registered as a Delegate for Eretz HaKodesh (under my legal name Zachary Gross) for the current World Zionist Organization election. In light of the below Kol Koreh released by the American Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, I have withdrawn my candidacy as a delegate for Eretz HaKodesh. I have not yet voted in the election, and I do not intend to participate in it at this time. Obviously, if circumstances change, the question and response from our Gedolim may change. I joined as a delegate under the impression that the controversy of the last WZO election 5 years ago was resolved and the Gedolim that were in opposition then, have since been given background by EHK leadership of the issues facing Torah Observance in Eretz Yisrael. When I saw that the opposition of prominent Gedolim had not abated, I was surprised. I began a fact-finding mission to understand what the objection is today. It is not my place to opine on the issue, but it seems to me that the disagreement was on the Metzityus and whether Torah Observance was under attack or just Jewish lifestyle conveniences, such as Reform attacks on gender segregated bus routes, an Orthodox managed Kotel, Yeshivos maintaining control over curriculum without strings attached to their Government funding, and the ability to block Kosher phones from dialing LGBT hotlines, etc. Over the last week, I engaged EHK leadership to ask if there were any examples of actual Torah Observance being blocked, but there weren’t any, just the many important lifestyle conveniences listed above. I do believe that evidence of an actual threat on Torah Observance would merit a new question to the Gedolim and if the concept of “V’Chai Bahem”– “do the mitzvos to live by them” (Vayikra 18:5) might apply and allow future participation in the WZO. Regardless of my research, I listened to a recent shiur by R’ Elya Brudny Shlit”a, who gave a perspective on how a Ben Torah is to view this Sugya. Our Mesorah is clear based on Rashi (Devarim 17:9) אין לך אלא שופט שבימיך, “we follow the Gadol of our times” even if he is not as prominent as the Gadol of prior generations. The Gadol Hador of the last decade was R’ Chaim Kanievsky Zt”l, and when he said not to vote, I did. Today’s Gadol Hador has been identified by the American Moetzes as R’ Dov Landau Shlit”a and he has said in a letter printed in the Israeli Yated not to participate this time. The majority of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America now concur and who am I to do if I do otherwise? I appreciate the financial benefit from Torah guided WZO funds and applaud those Tzadikim that wish to protect Observant Jewish life, but in the absence of extenuating circumstances as defined by our Gedolim, I cannot participate in this endeavor in this way. I want to take a moment here to denounce in the strongest terms the domestic terrorism committed by people who harass those that take either position on this matter. Every page of the Gemara has Machlokes, […]